A20187:183
The opening of heaven gatesThe opening of heauen gates
The opening of heaven gates, or The ready way to everlasting life Delivered in a most familiar dialogue, between reason and religion, touching predestination, Gods word, and mans free-will, to the understanding of the weakest capacity, and the confirming of the more strong. By Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God, at South-Shoobery in Essex.The opening of heauen gates, or The ready way to euerlasting life Deliuered in a most familier dialogue, betweene reason and religion, touching predestination, Gods word, and mans free-will, to the vnderstanding of the weakest capacitie, and the confirming of the more strong. By Arthur Dent, preacher of the word of God, at South-Shoobery in Essex.
London: printed by G. Eld for John Wright, 1610London: printed by G. Eld for Iohn Wright, 1610
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
And what is it else but to contemn the unspeakable love of our saviour, who being a God so mighty, y• King of all Kings, and the only Prince of all worlds, disdained not to take unto him, the contemptible shape of a servant, and to bear the burden or all our sins, even unto the death of the vile and shameful cross, that he might present us blameless before his father. Which gross opinion so outrageously blasphemous, some Papists at this •ay waxing half ashamed of, and daring not so broadly to maintain, will seem to qualify with a poor shift of descant. And because very infants or fools in this light of the gospel (for which the Lord be praised) might otherwise point at them for their folly, they are content not to be prive Christ of his dignity altogether, and therefore do attribute some part of just fication to him, & the rest to them-selves. Surely this is scarcely so good a recompense, as having cracked his crown, to give him a plaster: for except some insufficiency were or might justly be found in him, what madness should move them to intrude themselves into his office? But if these enter ⟨p. 120⟩commoners with Christ, though they seem to have retained a certain blind modesty be heedfully examined, in truth they do but practise to delude themselves and us, having no mind to deal with Christ hot or cold.
And what is it else but to contemne the vnspeakable loue of our sauior, who being a God so mighty, y• King of all Kings, and the only Prince of all worlds, disdayned not to take vnto him, the contemptible shape of a seruant, and to beare the burden or all our sins, euen vnto the death of the vile and shamefull crosse, that hee might present vs blamelesse before his father. Which grosse opinion so outragiously blasphemous, some Papists at this •ay waxing halfe ashamed of, and daring not so broadly to maintaine, will seeme to qualifie with a poore shift of deskant. And because very infants or fooles in this light of the gospell (for which the Lord be praysed) might otherwise point at them for their folly, they ar contct not to be priue Christ of his dignity altogether, and therefore doe attribute some part of iust fication to him, & the rest to them-selues. Surely this is scarcely so good a recompence, as hauing cracked his crown, to giue him a plaster: for except som insufficiency were or might iustly be foūd in him, what madnes should moue them to intrude themselues into his office? But if these enter